Wednesday's Word of Encouragement - On Leaders & Their People

In the week following an eventful election, an eventful year, an eventful four years I daresay it is only fitting to share a word of encouragement about leadership. Don’t fret, leadership, I said, not POLITICS!

Leaders – whether at the workplace, at home, on school teams, and in government – especially those professing Christ as their savior, are held to a higher standard by God than non-leaders.

In James 3:1 the Word says, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” It could read, don’t esteem yourself to be an authority, in anything – knowing full well that if you call yourself an authority you must actually act like you are an authority because that is the measure by which you will be esteemed.

How must one in authority act? Jesus did not leave room for interpretation on this one! He said a leader, an authority, is one who serves (Matthews 20:26).

So important is this principle that if we look to Isaiah 1-3 we will see our case in point. During that time, God’s Chosen People were in a terrible way. There was rampant sin, immorality, blatant contrariness to God, and worship of false gods. God’s anger and wrath is not directed towards the masses of people, rather, His judgement was against the leaders of the people. God was irate that compromised leaders led His precious children into error, and He was beside Himself that this poor leadership overlooked and exploited the needs of the disenfranchised among them (Isaiah 3:15).

Even in modern times, we are to a large extent at the mercy of our leaders. What they decide, their laws, and rules shape and affect our external liberties, our wellbeing, our ability to make a reasonable living, our abilities to make important life decisions, and a whole host of other things. Even more so the most vulnerable among us. I think we know this and that’s why we’re are so passionate about our candidates – right? We believe the person we’re voting for is the person who can secure our peace, prosperity, comfort, and ideology.

The responsibility that goes with being a political leader is great before God. His word makes it plain that the first will be last and the last will be first. Whether we understand or agree with Trump or Biden or Pence or Kamala or Bernie or whoever, take consolation my friend that there stands One who knows the heart, the motivations, and the intentions of our leaders and who is taking them into account.

Instead of us being the judge, let us withstand our judgement and withold our words, for Vengeance is of the Lord, and instead take up the sword, the great weapon and privilege of prayer that we’ve been given and fulfill our responsibility as citizens of heaven first to make “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior…” 1 Tim 2:1-3

Blessings - Now & Always!